A Parent's Safety Net for the Internet
While the Internet opens up a world of opportunities and possibilities for children,
it can also expose them to a world of danger. Many websites contain material that
is inappropriate for minors. Even worse, there are individuals who use the Internet
to sexually exploit children. These offenders sometimes pose as children themselves,
or they may gain the trust of a child through the use of affection, attention,
and kindness. Questionable characters, pornography, hate groups and misinformation
flourish online.
To help protect your children from driving down the wrong road on the information
highway, consider the following tips:
- Educate Yourself. It’s very important for you to
be knowledgeable about the Internet. Even if you do not have a computer at
home, your children can access it at a friend’s house, at school, or
at the public library. Have your children show you how to access the Internet
if you need instruction.
- Locate Your Computer Centrally. Keep your computer in a
common location such as the living room, not in a child’s bedroom. This
will allow you to easily monitor their computer use. It will also make it
easier to spend time with your children when they are online.
- Set Internet Rules. Decide how much time your children
should be allowed to spend online. Excessive use of the Internet, especially
late at night, may signal a possible problem. Also, decide which sites are
acceptable for them to visit. You could post a list next to the computer of
appropriate sites or create a special folder of “favorites” on
your computer’s browser.
- Communicate and Spend Time. Consider talking openly with
your children about the dangers of online sexual predators. Let them know
that talking to a stranger on the Internet is no different than talking to
a stranger on the street. Also, spend time with your children online. Have
them teach you about their favorite websites.
- Teach Responsibility. Teach your children the responsible
use of online resources. Instruct them only to use chat rooms, email, and
instant messaging with friends and family members. Remind them, also, to never
write anything that they wouldn’t say in public.
- Minimize Risks. If your children are young, steer them
away from chat rooms and only allow older children to participate in chat
rooms you approve of. Computer sex offenders almost always meet their potential
adolescent victims via chat rooms. Tell your children if anyone harasses them
online or says anything to make them feel uncomfortable, to tell you immediately.
- Report Any Illegal Activity. If your children or anyone
else in the household receives any type of child pornography report it to
the local police department and the FBI immediately. Child pornography under
any circumstances is illegal. If your child is ever sexually solicited or
receives any sexually explicit images from someone who knows that they are
under 18 years of age, report this immediately. If any one of these situations
occurs, keep your computer turned off to preserve any evidence for the police.
Instruct Your Children to NEVER:
- Arrange a face-to-face meeting with anyone they meet online.
- Give out personal information such as their full name, home address, school
name, or telephone number.
- Give out personal information about any family member.
- Send any pictures of themselves to anyone online that they do not personally
know.
- Download pictures from someone they do not know because there is a chance
they could be sexually explicit.
- Respond to messages or postings that are suggestive or obscene.
